


Only the Lonely

by sleepismyfriend



Category: Doctor Who (1963), Mork & Mindy, Sarah Jane Adventures
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2015-04-19
Packaged: 2018-03-24 19:43:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3782059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleepismyfriend/pseuds/sleepismyfriend
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On a spring day in 2015, the Fourth Doctor and Mindy bring each other closer to Mork and Sarah Jane.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Only the Lonely

**Author's Note:**

> In honor of Robin and Lis.

Mindy sits on a wooden bench, hands clasped in her lap, looking towards the sky. The view's nothing spectacular, fluffy clouds against a blue backdrop, but average for a spring afternoon in Boulder. She exhales at the lack of extraordinary, and looks away.

"You can try all you like, but the skies won't part, you know." A deep voice approaches to her left, and her gaze lowers to a man wearing a long scarf wrapped around his neck. His jacket she gets, even the fedora, but the large and intensely colored scarf intrigues her. It's not that cold.

"I wasn't expecting them to." 

"Excellent—May I sit down then?" The man asks, and she nods. He takes the last few steps between them. "Thank you." 

Mindy has yet to move, as he leans forward, his elbows on his knees. There's something familiar about this man, as familiar as peanut butter cookies, and yet as strange as dipping them in hot chocolate. Which after all these years remains a strange personal favorite of hers.

"Do I know you?" 

"I'm afraid we've never had the pleasure, but I certainly know of you," he says. 

"I see," she says.

There are several moments of silence as the man's eyes drift towards the children playing nearby. Mindy watches him before catching herself, and speaks.

"So—how do you know me? Let me guess, you're one of Belinda's blind dates. Someone she thinks would be 'perfect' for me but conveniently forgot to tell me about," Mindy says, making air quotes with her hands. "As though the last four were complete imbeciles, and I'm still young enough that blind dates are worth something."

"I assure you. I am no one's imbecile. I'm the Doctor," he says, leaning back.

"Doctor who?"

"Just the Doctor, and you're just Mindy."

"And here I thought introductions were out of the way." Mindy's head tilts towards him, and he smirks. "So if you already knew me, and I didn't know you, then this is a terribly one-sided conversation, Doctor. Don't you agree?"

"Would our conversation have lasted this long if I had terrible intentions?"

"It might."

The Doctor's smirk widens. "I can see what he saw in you."

"He? He who?"

"Nanu-nanu, I come in peace," the Doctor says, his voice lowering, and Mindy's face blanches. A lump forms in her throat, threatening her voice.

"You know my husband." Her voice cracks, and she puts a hand over her chest to try and calm her thumping heart. A flash of her alien husband's smile fills her brain. "You know Mork?" 

"We've crossed paths from time to time."

"Recently?" 

"Not recently." The Doctor shook his head. 

"Are you one of them? An Orkian? Because you're look younger than me, which likely means you're an infant, right? Or does that make you older? Sorry, it's been over ten years since I've dealt with alien lifespans."

"That's alright. To answer your questions, I'm not Orkian and my age doesn't necessarily correspond with my looks." 

"Mork looked so young before he left. In those days, Mearth and him often passed for brothers," she says, growing quiet as the thumps in her heart settle into aches she thought had faded. 

"Ahh yes, Mearth is your son?" The Doctor sees Mindy nod. "Good lad, that one."

"Mork went to find him. I thought they would come back." Mindy feels the familiar tug of tears in her eyes, but holds them at bay. "I was wrong."

The Doctor's expression shifts, to one of melancholy and sadness. "I had a friend like you, once. A human companion like you."

"Oh yeah?" Mindy watches the Doctor nod. "And did you leave her behind on this planet too?"

"Not because I meant to," the Doctor says, with a sigh. "By the time I came back, Sarah had a life and children and a planet to defend. I couldn't bring myself to go back and fix my mistake."

"I sense there is more to the story." 

"I found out she passed away. On a day very much like this one, when the world is beautiful and alive." The Doctor leans forward once more, his head hanging lower than before. "Death always signals the end of the story."

"Not when you travel through time and space," Mindy says, her voice nearly a whisper. The Doctor looks at her, as a small smile appears on her face. "I may not have known you before this conversation, Doctor, but that doesn't mean I didn't know of people like you. You have a capable ship, right? Why don't you go back?"

"Because for all of my melancholy, I know I will eventually see her again," he says. "And on that day, it will be a welcome surprise to eyes much older than these."

"That's a positive way to look at things."

"Or a maudlin one. I'll have to go so many years without her in order to have a finite amount of time with her. It will never be enough, I'm afraid."

"It never is," Mindy says, with a sigh. There's a small beat. "I miss him."

"As I miss her," he says.

"Do you think they miss us?" She looks towards the sky.

"Without a doubt, I know they do," he says. "Mork was one of the bravest souls I ever met, Mindy. He inspired me on more than one occasion to always live life to the fullest, even when it doesn't turn out the way you expected or want it to."

"That's the kind of guy he was." Mindy's eyes glass over. "Always open without a fault. I'm not sure I want to know what happened to him."

"You'd leave his story unfinished?"

"I would. Because it's always better to carry the good things than hold on to the bad. I always thought he and Mearth would come back, but I also suspected it might not be in one piece. I've had a lot of years to come to terms with that. I'm sure your Sarah felt the same way."

Another beat.

"Thank you, Mindy."

"For what?"

The Doctor smiles. 

"For reminding me why humans remain my favorite species."

"Because we can listen?"

"Because even in the lowest of times, you generate hope." He taps the side of his nose. "Which is a Sarah Jane and Mork thing to do."

He stands, his eyes squinting towards a blue box off in the distance. He shoves his hands in his pockets. "I don't suppose you'd like to travel? See the cosmos? I could help you look for your husband and son?" 

Mindy stands, now realizing the significant height difference between them. 

"If you had asked me years ago? I wouldn't hesitate. As it is, I'm a lot less adventurous now. I think my days of travelling across the stars are over. Take a raincheck?"

"Of course," he replies. No sooner has he said the words that Mindy's hugging him, her head fitting under his chin. She feels his tension for only a second before he relaxes. As his arms go around her, he rests his chin on top of her head.

She takes a step back.

"Now, it's my turn to thank you, Doctor."

"For what?"

She leans up to kiss his cheek, only to wipe the kiss on his cheek away. "For not being one of Belinda's blind dates. I feel closer to Mork now than I have in a really long time."

"You brought me closer to Sarah." He touches her cheek. "Very few people can do that."

"Nanu-nanu, Doctor."

"Nanu-nanu, Mindy." 

She turns, and walks away.


End file.
